Wildlife Annoyed by Floods

...spare a thought for the safety of green mambas...who imported them? Why? Will they become a pest in their new home? Who cares?

Deadly green mambas escape

THE NATION November 3, 2011 8:04 am

Another terror from the floods emerged yesterday - the public was warned that 15 green mamba snakes had escaped from a flooded building in Nonthaburi's Pak Kret district on Tuesday night.Officials say the highly venomous snakes include two adults - 2 metres long - and 13 one-metre-long young ones. Anyone spotting the snakes must alert the Zoo and Wildlife Veterinary Society of Thailand via hotline 1362 or the Jor Sor 100 radio station at (02) 711 9160. Chisanu Tiyacharoensri, vice president of the Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand, said green mambas were yellowish-green and larger than green snakes. He urged people to stay away from the snakes and be careful not to be bitten because there was no serum available in Thailand at present to counteract their venom.Chisanu said the victim of a mamba bite would feel drowsy and could die in 20 minutes. If he or she survived, the victim would be on respiratory aid while waiting for antivenin to come from South America in two or three days. For first aid in case of snakebite to a limb, Chisanu said the wound should be cleaned gently with soap and water, and a piece of cloth should be wrapped tightly at least 7 centimetres above the bite. A second piece should be wrapped 7cm above the first. The victim should lie down before being quickly transported to hospital. He warned not to squeeze or cut the wound.

It's not surprising that Thailand would need a crocodile hotline during the floods, but the people calling it might not just be homeowners worried about being eaten by an escaped croc.
How will Herme`s make its bags?
Thailand has the largest crocodile farming industry in the world and famous international fashion brands source their exotic skins from the kingdom.
Around 700,000 crocodiles are raised in 22 farms registered with the Fisheries Department and another 929 small farms nationwide.

Thailand exports crocodile hides and boned and boneless alligator meat as well as processed foods including crocodile sausage and ground meat, according to Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, the director-general of the Export Promotion Department. Crocodile blood is also in demand in many Asian markets for its perceived medicinal properties.Ms Nuntawan said crocodile hides are a commodity in high demand in the global market as their durability makes them ideal for producing fashion products from bags to shoes, belts and other accessories.

The department sees a bright opportunity for exports of Thai crocodile products as the skin is used mostly for women's fashion bags in Europe, while the United States uses the hides for men's wallets and cowboy boots.

Crocodile bags can cost as much as US$20,000 to $40,000 each. That fact alone encouraged the luxury goods giant LVMH Moet Hennessy to invest in Singapore's Heng Long International Ltd _ one of the world's top five suppliers of crocodile hides.

One reason for the high price is that it takes around four crocodiles to make one bag as only specific cuts of skin can be used.

The most sought after part of a crocodile skin is the abdomen and hides of crocodylus porosus, which is indigenous to Southeast Asia and Australia.

For first aid in case of snakebite to a limb, Chisanu said the wound should be cleaned gently with soap and water, and a piece of cloth should be wrapped tightly at least 7 centimetres above the bite. A second piece should be wrapped 7cm above the first. The victim should lie down before being quickly transported to hospital. He warned not to squeeze or cut the wound.

Tourniquets? They haven't been recommended first aid for snake bite in over 40 years.

1. Don't clean the wound. If there is any doubt over the type of snake a venom sample can be taken from the bite area.
2. Wrap the entire limb tightly in a compression bandage, or normal bandage if you don't have one. Restricts the blood flow and slows the lymphatic system.
3. Immobilise the patient and keep them calm. This slows down both the blood flow and the lymphatic system, thus slowing the venoms progress toward vital organs.
4. Elevate the bitten limb: Again this slows the venoms rate.
5. Get help, or get to help as quickly as possible. Phone ahead with the type of snake if known, so the correct anti venom can be ready.

Obviously with Green Mambas there is no supply of anti venom on hand. Which there should be at the location where the snakes were kept.

Faith, by itself, isn't a good enough reason to believe. Instead, a belief must be defensible through reason, logic, and evidence.
The idea that faith is somehow justified by the fact that the beliefs cannot be proven is a truly Orwellian position to adopt - not to mention intellectually and ethically dangerous.